Heidi Weng and Ingvild F. Østberg were back on the podium at the FIS cross-country World Cup, while Johan Kjølstad and Sara Lindborg posted Ski Classics podiums at the Marcialonga.

Heidi Weng (NOR) opened the World Cup weekend in Falun (SWE) with third place in the skate sprint on Saturday.

“I had never competed in the sprint here in Falun before. So this was new for me, and I am happy with the result. It’s good as well for the Overall World Cup lead as Krista (Parmakoski) was just behind me today, so I have a few more points,” Weng said after her race on Saturday.

On Sunday, Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (NOR) was a fraction of a second away from victory in the 15km classic mass start in Falun.

“I felt really good today. I thought I could win. I didn’t ski the final climb well on the sprint course and Marit (Bjørgen) got a gap and I wasn’t able to close it. I wasn’t satisfied with yesterday’s sprint result, so it’s good to be back on the podium today,” Østberg said after her race.

Heidi Weng in third place for the second day in a row, but had to dig deep for her second podium. I was so tired today. The others were getting a gap on the Morderbacken each lap, but I was able to come back to them on the downhill. I thought Stina might catch me, so I am very happy to make the podium today,” Weng said.

For Weng and Østberg, the Falun races this weekend was the last World Cup competitions for a while. Østberg joins the national team for an altitude camp in the Alps in preparation for the World Championships in Lahti (FIN) in the end of February, while Weng is preparing at her family’s cabin at Skeikampen (NOR).

Also on Sunday, Johan Kjølstad was second at the Marcialonga, beating Morten Eide Pedersen on the finish line. Stian Hoelgaard (NOR) was fifth overall, and increased his major lead in the overall youth competition where he already had a gap of more than 200 points prior to the Marcialonga.

Sara Lindborg (SWE) was third in the women’s race, and is also third in the Ski Classics overall this season. Lindborg and fellow Madshus marathon racer Astrid Øyre Slind (NOR) lead the women’s field for much of the race. Due to lack of snow, the 70-kilometer classic event was shortened to 57km this year.

Johan Kjølstad (left) was second in the Marcialonga. Photo: Team United Bakeries

Stian Hoelgaard, who has been on the podium consistently for years and currently leads the overall Ski Classics youth competition, has one ultimate career goal: to win Vasaloppet.

“Vasaloppet is the hairiest race on the schedule. It’s the biggest ski race in the world. It’s 90 kilometers and everyone starts on the same starting line. It’s special, and I want to win it,” says the 25-year-old, who is in his fifth marathon season.

Last year, Hoelgaard missed his goal by 0.5 seconds to Madshus teammate John Kristian Dahl.

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Stian Hoelgaard at Kaiser Maximilian Lauf in Austria on January 14. Photo: Madshus

At Madshus, we work hard to put every margin on your side. Our Redline products know no compromises. Our product developers save no effort, material or engineering to build the most advanced equipment on the market.

The Redline Propulsion is a classic double-pole ski developed with the best and most accomplished long-distance racers in the world over the past years: built specifically for double-poling: with a flex and camber style developed to facilitate fast acceleration in uphill and flat terrain, a brand new 3D geometry that improves the pressure distribution throughout the entire ski, optimized pressure distribution for high speed stability on long descents and a low tip that reduces the swing weight of the ski and preserves energy.

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Madshus Propulsion. Photo: Stefano Zatta/Madshus

The Redline skis and boots also continue to push the limits on the World Cup. On January 8, Heidi Weng parked her competitors on her way up the monster hill on the final stage of the 2017 Tour de Ski. She won the overall tour and had the fastest time for the brutal stage.

“This is a huge victory for me, and winning the Tour de Ski is the hardest thing I have done. But it seems like the monster hill was I wanted to sprint from the bottom of the hill,” Heidi Weng said after her impressive performance up the alpine run in Val di Fiemme, Italy.

Heidi Weng (NOR) won the 2017 Tour de Ski. She parked her competitors and had the fastest time up the final climb on Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme (ITA). Photo: Nordic Focus

Madshus racers contributed to five World Cup relay podium this weekend, between the biathlon World Cup in Anterselva (ITA) and the cross-country World Cup in Ulricehamn (SWE).

On Saturday, the German biathlon relay team powers into a photo finish first place in the men’s 4×7.5km, with Benedikt Doll skiing the second leg for his team.

On Sunday, the German women follow suit, with Vanessa Hinz on the first leg setting the stage for the victory in the 4x6km relay. France snagged second place in the women’s relay, with Anaïs Bescond skiing the third leg for her team.

At the cross-country World Cup on Sunday, Sandra Ringwald anchored Germany to second place in the women’s 4x5km relay, beating Sweden by 0.2 second. This was the first World Cup podium for Germany since 2010.

“I did not want to be fourth again. I managed to stay in contact with Hanna (Falck). At the finish, I gave everything I had. It is absolutely amazing to be second,” Ringwald said after her race.

Norway won the women’s cross-country relay, 8 seconds ahead of Germany. Ingvild Flugstad Østberg and Heidi Weng left their teammates in a good position after skiing the first and second leg, respectively, for Norway.

Heidi Weng (NOR) won the overall 2017 FIS Tour de Ski, after the final climb up Alpe Cermis in Val di Fiemme (ITA). Photo: Nordic Focus

Starting the final stage of the 2017 Tour de Ski 20 seconds behind the overall leader, Heidi Weng (NOR) was on a mission.

There was never a question who was the queen of the monster hill in Val di Fiemme: Heidi Weng made her move at the base of the hill, parked her competition and just kept widening the gap as the hill got steeper. At the top of the hill, Weng won by a solid margin, her first overall Tour de Ski victory.

“This is a huge victory for me, especially after a Tour where I feel like the margins have not been in my favor. It has been a very tough tour for me. I came into the tour feeling a bit tired and I didn’t feel like I had the preparation that I need for a tour,” Weng said after her race.

“But in Toblach on Friday, I started to feel like my body responded better. Before the stage today, I had decided to conserve my energy on the approach and not surge until the bottom of the hill,” Weng said to reporters, adding that she still had more to offer.

“It seems like the monster hill was not as hard as I remember it from previous tours. I had an extra gear that I could have used if I needed it,” she said.

Weng also had the fastest time for the day on the 9km distance, and won the stage as well as the overall Tour.

Finally on the podium
Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) pulled off a solid final stage as well, finishing second overall and nailing her first overall Tour de Ski podium finish.

The 26-year-old has competed in six Tour de Ski stage races, and has been fourth overall three times before. For her, finally landing the podium huge.

“I had really good day. I have been fourth so many times, so it is great to be on the podium. Today, I felt great and surprisingly fast on the climb,” Pärmäkoski said after her race.

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Krista Parmakoski (FIN) on her way to the finish on the final stage of the 2017 Tour de Ski, where she was 2nd overall. Photo: Nordic Focus

Best monster hill finish
Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (NOR) came in fourth overall, but skied her strongest ever Alpe Cermis stage, and for a while the podium was within reach.

“Before the start of the final stage, I certainly didn’t believe I had any chance at the podium. But right now, I almost wish the hill had been just a little longer. I never thought I would ever say that, and knowing that I probably could have caught her if it were just a little longer makes the fourth place overall almost harder to handle,” Østberg said after her race.

At the same time, Østberg was thrilled for her teammate’s overall victory.

“I believed in Heidi from the start and knew it would be hard to beat her up this hill. She has been the strongest skier all season long, and the overall victory was so well deserved,” Østberg said.

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Ingvild Flugstad Østberg leading the pack during the 5km classic mass start in Val Mustair (SUI) on January 1, the 2nd stage of the 2017 Tour de Ski. Photo: NordicFocus

Dominated the Tour
For six of the seven days of the 2017 Tour de Ski, at least one of the girls have been on the podium. Combined for the 2017 Tour de Ski the three Madshus racers have collected 10 podium finishes: two stage wins, four second-place finishes and four third-place finishes.

At the second stage of the Tour, the turbo trio took over the entire podium: Ingvild Flugstad Østberg won the 5km classic mass start event, with Heidi Weng in second place and Krista Pärmäkoski in third. For the overall Tour de Ski, the three girls were first, second and fourth.

The 9-day stage race competition opened with sprint races in Val Müstair (SUI) on New Years Eve, where Heidi Weng (NOR) snagged third place, despite having a rough day.

“To be third in a skate sprint is a great success for me. My body felt stiff almost the whole day, but at the end I made it to the podium. I am very happy,” Weng said after her race.

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Heidi Weng (NOR) was 3rd in the skate sprint in Val Mustair (SUI) on New Years Eve. Photo: NordicFocus

On Sunday, the Madshus Turbo Trio owned the podium: Ingvild Flugstad Østberg (NOR) pulled off a perfect 5km classic race, with Heidi Weng (NOR) in 2nd place and Krista Pärmäkoski (FIN) in 3rd place. Østberg pulled away from Weng and the rest of the field and won the mass start event in 13 minutes and 21.2 seconds. Weng was seven seconds behind, and Pärmäkoski was 11.4 seconds behind Østberg.

“I was really angry with myself after the sprint on Saturday, and I needed a half hour to myself after that race. I wanted to come back hard, because I know I’m in good shape. I gave it everything today, and I made it,” Østberg said to reporters after the 5km on Sunday.

Østberg is now leading the overall Tour as the racers move on to Oberstdorf (GER) for the next two stages: a 5/5km and 10/10km skitahlon for women and men respectively on Tuesday, followed by 10km/15km pursuit races on Wednesday.